Foam light weight rubber snow shoes



Aug. 30, 1966 W. MASSICOTTE FOAM LIGHT WEIGHT RUBBER snow SHOES Filed Oct. 13, 1965 INVENTOR. 1; 5

Z0 W14 54m- MflSSJZSQ T725 United States Patent 3,269,037 FOAM LIGHT WEIGHT RUBBER SNOW SHOES William Massicotte, Box 103, Wawa, Ontario, Canada Filed Oct. 13, 1965, Ser. No. 495,513 3 Claims. ((11. 36-45) This invention relates to snow shoes.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a snow shoe of a molded flexible material having a boot embedded therein so as to be unit handled, waterproof, comfortable to wear, easy to walk in, durable and efficient and which will support a person walking on snow or slush.

Another object of this invention is to form the boot of a light weight fabric having the requisite durability and strength for the purpose intended and of a size to receive the foot of the wearer fitted with a shoe or moccasin, the boot being embedded in the flexible snow shoe above the ankle portion thereof and with its upper portion extending beyond the snow shoe such that the top thereof will be positioned substantially at the mid-leg of the wearer.

A'still further object of this invention is to provide the boot at one side thereof with a slit the opposed edge portions of which are equipped with lacing hooks or eyes or any other fastening means, and a tongue inside of the boot to span the slit when laced or joined as is conventional in shoe construction.

Another object of this invention is to form the snow shoe in the form of a runner having an upwardly curved pointed front end portion forwardly of the embedded boot and a substantially rectangular rear portion, both the front and rear portions tapering in thickness towards their terminal ends.

Still another object of this invention is to provide the underside of the snow shoe intermediate the ends thereof with a row of transverse snow gripping saw tooth ribs.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, my invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that change may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described within the scope of the appended claims.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the snow shoe.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the snow shoe.

FIG. 4 is a reduced size sectional view taken on line X-X, of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a reduced size sectional view taken on line YY, of FIG. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, it will be seen that the snow shoe as embodied in my invention comprises a snow engaging runner 12 and a boot 14. The runner 12 is formed of any suitable flexible material such as rubber, synthetic rubber or plastic that will retain its flexibility and strength when operating in snow.

The runner 12 has a front end portion or prow 16 which converges to a point and is curved upwardly, an intermediate boot supporting portion 18, and a flat substantially rectangular rear end or tail portion 20. As will be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the runner tapers in thickness toward each end from the plane of juncture of the prow 16 with the intermediate supporting portion 18 as at XX, see FIG. 2. The tail portion 20 joins the intermediate portion 18 at its other (rear) end at the plane YY and is of a length greater than that of the prow 16. The underside of the intermediate supporting portion 18 lying between planes X-X and YY is formed with a longitudinal row of transverse ribs 22, triangular in cross-section and presenting a sawtooth profile as viewed in FIG. 2. The ribs 22 provide a snow-gripping action when the snow shoe 10 is in use, thus insuring a high degree of mobility on the snow with a minimum of sliding or slippage.

Forming an integral part of the snow shoe 10 is the boot 14. The boot 14 is preferably formed of a strong fabric such as corduroy suitably lined (not shown) for warmth and durability. At one side the boot 14 is slit as at 26 from about the ankle portion upwardly to the top of the boot, see FIG. 2, to provide: opposed side edge portions 28, 30. Disposed inside of the boot and spanning the slit 26 is a tongue 32 stitched at its lower end to the boot as at 35. Suitable fastening means such as hooks or eyes 34 and laces (not shown) are provided for the edge portions 28, 30. If desired, the fastening means employed may be a slide fastener such as conventionally employed in galoshes or overbootis.

The boot 14 is encased or embedded in the snow shoe 10 by molding the same therein, the plastic material of which the snow shoe is formed extending completely around the lower half of the boot, see FIGS. 1 and 2, in the form of a thin shroud 36 which is bonded to the boot. The snow shoe 10 is also bonded to the boot at the remaining areas of engagement therewith. The thin shroud 36 will provide for extreme flexibility of the snow shoes at the ankle portion of the boot thus preventing the ankle from becoming tired after a long days walking in the snow and carrying a heavy ]oad. Also, if desired the plastic material of the shroud 36 may be made softer and more flexible than the plastic material forming the main body of the snow shoe. To strengthen the shroud 36, the same is provided with integral reinforcing ribs or beads 38. The boot 14 is made over-size such as to accommodate a moccasin or shoe worn by the person using the snow shoes, and the slit 26 is so dimensioned as to permit easy insertion of the foot wearing the moccasin or shoe into the boot.

The boot 14 is placed oif center with relation to the length of the runner 12, i.e. the toe of the boot lies relatively close to the plane XX. Thus with the short prow portion 16 and the long tail portion 20, the snow shoe will afford a high degree of maneuverability in traversing snow.

As manufactured the snow shoe will have an overall length of approximately 4 feet and a width of 12 inches, with the intermediate portion 18 between planes X--X and YY approximately 1 /2 feet in length. The shroud 36 is of such a height that its top edge 4-0 will be ap proximately 9 inches from the underside of the runner 12, and with the upper portion of the boot 14 extending about 5 inches above the shroud top edge 40, the height of the shroud 36 will preclude the entry of snow or water into the interior of the boot in the normal use of the snow shoe.

While this invention has been described with particular reference to the construction shown in the drawing, it is to be understood that such is not to be construed as imparting limitations upon the invention, which is best defined by the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A snow shoe comprising:

(a) an elongated runner formed of a flexible plastic material having a prow portion, an intermediate support portion and a tail portion,

(b) a boot positioned at said intermediate support por tion and bonded thereto,

(c) a thin shroud of like flexible plastic material completely encasing at least the foot portion of said boot and bonded thereto,

(d) said shroud being an integral part of said plastic material runner,

(e) said prow portion converging from the front end of said intermediate support portion and curving upwardly therefrom,

(f) said intermediate support portion and said tail portion tapering in thickness from said front end of said intermediate support portion towards the terminal rear end of said tail portion,

(g) said tail portion being substantially rectangular in form,

(h) said boot being formed of a fabric material,

(i) a slit at one side of said boot,

(j) a tongue inside of said boot spanning said slit,

(k) and fastening means for joining opposed edge portions of said slit,

(1) the bottom of said slit lying below the top edge of said shroud.

2. The snow shoe of claim 11, wherein:

(a) said boot is located oil? center with relation to the longitudinal extent of said runner and close to said prow portion,

(b) said tail portion being of a length greater than said prow portion, and

(-c) a row of transverse snow gripping ribs on the under side of said intermediate support portion.

3. The snow shoe of claim 2, including:

(a) spaced reinforcing ribs exteriorly of said shroud and integral therewith.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,350,130 5/1944 Rinbinen 36101 X 2,43 0,466 11/1947 Hedman 36100 2,511,087 6/1950 Villemur 36101 FOREIGN PATENTS 634,114 1/1962 Canada.

20 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

PATRICK D. LAWSON, Examiner. 

1. A SNOW SHOE COMPRISING: (A) AN ELONGATED RUNNER FORMED OF A FLEXIBLE PLASTIC MATERIAL HAVING A PROW PORTION, AN INTERMEDIATE SUPPORT PORTION AND A TAIL PORTION, (B) A BOOT POSITIONED AT SAID INTERMEDIATE SUPPORT PORTION AND BONDED THERETO, (C) A THIN SHROUD OF LIKE FLEXIBLE PLASTIC MATERIAL COMPLETELY ENCASING AT LEAST THE FOOT PORTION OF SAID BOOT AND BONDED THERETO, (D) SAID SHROUD BEING AN INTEGRAL PART OF SAID PLASTIC MATERIAL RUNNER, (E) SAID PROW PORTION CONVERGING FROM THE FRONT END OF SAID INTERMEDIATE SUPPORT PORTION AND CURVING UPWARDLY THEREFROM, (F) SAID INTERMEDIATE SUPPORT PORTION AND SAID TAIL PORTION TAPERING IN THICKNESS FROM SAID FRONT END OF SAID INTERMEDIATE SUPPORT PORTION TOWARDS THE TERMINAL REAR END OF SAID TAIL PORTION, (G) SAID TAIL PORTION BEING SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR IN FORM, (H) SAID BOOT BEING FORMED OF A FABRIC MATERIAL, (I) A SLIT AT ONE SIDE OF SAID BOOT, (J) A TONGUE INSIDE OF SAID BOOT SPANNING SAID SLIT, (K) AND FASTENING MEANS FOR JOINING OPPOSED EDGE PORTIONS OF SAID SLIT, (L) THE BOTTOM OF SAID SLIT LYING BELOW THE TOP EDGE OF SAID SHROUD. 